SumOne

New headless & fretless from Ibanez: https://www.ibanez.com/na/products/detail/ehb1005f_1p_01.html

I took that as confirmation that headless can sound as good as normal Basses. Seeing as they are shorter, lighter, better balanced and less likely to knock out of tune they seem the better choice to me. ..... Apart from the thing none of them discussed - the look is just a step away from keytars! I'm not fussed, but a lot of people are, that must limit sales and its probably why not many get made.

Beige Flag

Add this after the OC-2 for some good brown sound:

Music generally sounds funkier when it isn't precicely quantized, I expect Verdine knew what he was doing.

I think so. Its confusing they are both called 1/2" but actually fit headstock holes of 11/16" and 5/8". Also would be a lot simpler if they just used metric.

Perhaps here: https://www.btnmusic.co.uk/hipshot-us-licensed-ultralite-bushing-sizes/

I think it might be down to the very annoying fact that the 1/2" USA vs 1/2" licensed actually fit different headstock holes: "The 1/2" USA Ultralite fits an 11/16" (17mm) headstock hole, while the 1/2" Licensed Ultralite fits a 5/8" (16mm) headstock hole." https://hipshot.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360020825572-What-s-the-difference-between-Licensed-and-USA-Ultralite-tuning-machines-

For that sort of budget new from Thonmann I'd go for an Ibanez SR 300.

Pete Tong 'The year in Dance 2022' show https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001g0wy The cynic in me thinks dance music hasn't moved on much since my clubbing prime (and dance music's prime?) 25 years ago, but some tunes on that show are bangers - got me a bit misty eyed about youthful optimism and hedonism! These ones in particular, you'd have to be a cold hearted cynic to not find joy in them!

Fred again

I assume that streaming has something to do with it as that is how most people consume music now and is is part of where they get the top 10 listening stats from. Perhaps streaming somehow localises listening whereas physical sales can be more dominated by big international labels with big distribution and global advertising deals?

One possible good thing with streaming : "UK artists dominate Top 10 singles of 2022 for first time since records began" "For the first time since year-end charts were introduced more than 50 years ago, British artists have made up the entirety of the year’s 10 most popular songs in the UK." The UK’s Top 10 most popular singles of 2022 1 Harry Styles – As It Was 2 Ed Sheeran – Bad Habits 3 Fireboy DML & Ed Sheeran – Peru 4 Cat Burns – Go 5 Ed Sheeran – Shivers 6 Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill 7 Glass Animals – Heat Waves 8 Lost Frequencies and Calum Scott – Where Are You Now 9 LF System – Afraid to Feel 10 Sam Fender – Seventeen Going Under https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/04/uk-top-10-singles-of-2022-were-all-by-british-artists-harry-styles

Dennis Bovell, Raindrops

Out to the resolution crew:

It is along the lines of Harley vs Suzuki motorbikes, each good in their own way but quite different - 'best' depends what you are after. If you want the Fender style I'd consider the competition more between options like Fender vs G&L & Lakland & Sandberg. If modern style then Basses like Ibanez vs Dingwall & Strandberg & MTD.

TENPIN v. To place digits simultaneously in the tea towel holder and the fish mitten. From the grip used in ten pin bowling. To spock.

What are your best music purchase of 2022? For me it has been an MPC One. It's almost too good as it has seriously dented my Bass practice time.

Ah yeah, for sure, there are lots of other options (35 bridges over the Thames within London aparrently, and the blackwall tunnel) but drivers will have to avoid Hammersmith bridge for another few years while politicians faff about arguing who should pay to fix it (partly down to different boroughs either side of the river, TFL/London mayor, and national government all trying to shift the cost). The 4 road bridges closed and area of roads around Whitehall and South Bank for NYE shouldn't be much of an issue for drivers unless they need to be within that quite specific firework viewing street party area of London (and there aren't many live music venues around those bits, it's mostly government buildings and offices and tourist restaurants).

Another one on Jahtari:

It does put some people out, but means 10's of thousands of people can have a street party once a year. The area closed isn't all of Zone 1, just the bit around the Thames where the fireworks happen. Is the venue actually within the closed Zone? If not, there are ways around it. https://www.london.gov.uk/events/london-new-years-eve-2022/business-and-residents-information-london-new-years-eve-2022

Jahtari is a decent label for digital stuff:

Lion D is worth a listen:

If Santa is paying, I'll go for this:

Hammersmith Bridge has been closed to traffic since 2019 as no one can agree on who should pay to fix it.